Entwined

Inauguration

Skander, who I met during processing, takes me into the dressing room and throws me a garment bag. “Change into this and report downstairs in ten minutes.” I nod quickly and begin to undress wincing at the pain on my fingertips. My fingerprints were melted off and branded into the FLEET symbol. The symbol is a swirled flame inside an octagon. On each side of the octagon there is a spear coming out. The shirt is navy blue with the FLEET seal on the arm and the pants are black they both fit me perfectly as if someone had measured my body and fitted them. Quietly I pull out my phone and open my messages. They screen goes black and a message appears on the screen. ALL DIGITAL DEVICES PROHIBITED ON FLEET CAMPUS. Silently I swear under my breath. They are watching me. The door swings open and I step outside into an empty blinding white hallway. I know from the tour they have given me how to get downstairs. As quickly as I can, I descend and find myself in a room full of FLEET authority. Skander and Ryker stand in a corner. Ryker has his arms crossed and Skander stands leaning her body towards him. She catches me looking at them and her face hardens. I glance down ashamedly. “Welcome to FLEET! Ms. Courtney Shay!” A burly man standing in the front of the room greets me. Everyone salutes me making a rectangle with their arms and hands and then pounding their chest with their fist and placing their other hand on top. I stand there feeling like an idiot because all these people are watching me expecting me to say or do something. I don’t do either and at this moment you could drop a pen and it would echo louder than the Niagara Falls. A guy with blue eyes and messy auburn hair standing next to the big burly man looks directly into my eyes and then down at his arms. It’s like figuring out the answer to a hard math problem easily. Relief spreads throughout my limbs and I quickly salute back. “Thank you.” I say. Everyone smiles and relaxes their poses. “And it is so we know you are supposed to be here.” The burly man says now that I have saluted back. I smile numbly but inside I want to cry. “Then let inauguration begin.” The burly man booms….. The ground literally gives out from underneath me and I fall into an arena where my first test is about to take place. “Keep your feet planted.” Blue eyes mutters as he is dropped in as well. Blue’s comments angers me just because I’m new doesn’t mean I haven’t train for this I think. I look up and see Blue has already started running to the flags sitting in the middle of the arena. I run after him and catch up in no time. We reach the flags simultaneously but I manage to take both into my hands first. I waste no time in turning around running to the target where I’m supposed to place them to win. Blue grabs my shoulder and yanks me back. My body slams into his. I punch him swiftly and hit all the human body’s weak spots. He groans at each one but takes them nicely which is quite impressive. He takes my wrists and twists them into a weird position that sends excruciating pain up my arms. I yelp out in pain and use my legs to take his out. He falls bringing me down with him. My wrists feel as if they were being bent past normal angles and on the edge of breaking. Tears sting my eyes as I bite my lip to keep from screaming. Blue pushes a little farther. I let go of the flags and he releases my wrists. I can’t use my hands to inflict pain aright now because they are sore from what they’ve just been through. So I knee his stomach and pick the flags up again. Then struggle to get up and run. Blue’s breathe is knocked out but he takes three seconds and regains it. He pushes off the ground and wraps his arms around my torso. The next thing I know I’m slammed down onto the ground with Blue eyes on top of me. He smiles at me and takes the flags, placing them in his pocket, before taking off to the target. I scramble up after him and grab his arm. He jerks away tangling our bodies through the struggle and somehow I end up in his arms. Using his forefingers he pretends to shoot me. Angrily I slam my palm into his nose. He stumbles backwards and I try pulling the flags out of his pocket but he grabs my arm and hits my stomach. I feel the air rush out of me and I can’t breathe aimlessly I swing at him. He ducks easily and sweeps me off my feet. I crash to the floor and try to catch my breath. Blue sets the flags in the target. The game is over I have lost.